College correspondence courses are a definite asset for late night studies in the comfort of pajamas. The distance education is accomplished totally via snail mail, e-mail, or Internet access. Intrinsically motivated students are totally responsible for acquiring the material and instructor, studying, and completing the college course/s in a predetermined period of time, in order to complete the class and receive the credits.

First, students are totally responsible for acquiring the necessary books, supplies, and the professors. Generally, college advisors will recommend independent learning/correspondence course professors based upon the degree program and whether the goal is an undergraduate/graduate degree. The student is expected to personally contact a professor and confirm placement in the correspondence/independent study program. Similar to any other traditional college class, professors will only accept a limited number of corresponding students. Amazingly, instructors have a life outside of education and need to sleep on occasion. Many professors also teach regular classes at the college or secondary level. If a professor is unavailable, the student continues down the recommendation list provided by the advisor. In the event a professor is unavailable for correspondence courses, the student may have to wait until the following semester. Correspondence courses/independent study providers usually work on a first come, first served basis. So, if a class is essential, contacting a professor well before the beginning of the class is advisable.

After contacting the professor and acquiring the necessary materials, such as the syllabus or study guide, the student is basically on his/her own. While the professor may be available via e-mail or phone for the occasional question, a correspondence student must have the ability to read and understand the necessary material with little/no help from the instructor. At first, being the only student in the class, so to speak, can be a little disconcerting, but the benefits are worth the occasional headache. Think of the poor traditional student sitting through endless lectures. A correspondence student circumvents the lectures and gets right to work. Another benefit is time. Many students have jobs, so traditional night classes make for an exceedingly long day. Instead, independent studiers can do the assignments during breaks, lunch hours, when the kids are asleep, or the weekends. No muss, no fuss, and no babysitters to pay-which is a big plus as a struggling college student.

Nevertheless, with every plus, a minus usually exists. Many correspondence/independent study students have serious difficulty gauging the time necessary for completing an assignment. Thus, when the completion date is looming, in the not to distant future, students slip into panic mode. Also, professors are inundated with last minute assignments to correct before grades are due. Oops! Bad News! To avoid an ulcer-creating problem, the syllabus should be broken down into segments necessary for completing the class on time. Students self-motivated to adhere to a schedule will have the added advantage of receiving feedback before submitting the next assignment. Since assignments often build upon each other, knowing the previously-learned material is understood becomes an essential tool in successfully completing the class. Sometimes, the professor will have recommended dates already outlined. If not, consider the weightiness of the chapter reading and the assignments to complete. Allow more time for the lengthier assignments. Waiting until the last minute is not only a guaranteed panic button pusher, a student may be finding a professor for the same class next semester.

So, do not get too relaxed and forget the given time frame for the independent study/correspondence courses. However, do enjoy avoiding the potentially sleep-inducing lectures, having some comfy clothes to lounge around the house, and grabbing the favorite caffeine beverage of choice-to stay awake. Now, crack the books and begin investing in the future.

Dana Stephens is a freelance writer for several online publications and websites. For more information on online learning education programs please visit http://www.eLearningTips.com today.